Rudy Went to Albania to Hang Out with A Iran Regime Change Cult (Really)

Maryam Rajavi (L) and Rudy Giuliani, attend celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20, 2018, there was a gathering of Iranians Resistance and supporters in Tirana, Albania. As part of this gathering, M...Maryam Rajavi (L) and Rudy Giuliani, attend celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20, 2018, there was a gathering of Iranians Resistance and supporters in Tirana, Albania. As part of this gathering, Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), members of the international community, such as former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and others spoke in support of Iranian freedom and regime change. (Photo by Siavosh Hosseini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)MORE LESS

Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK) is a notorious cult-like group of Iranian exiles which appears to have close to literally zero support inside Iran but has for years cultivated significant ties to DC Iran “regime change” advocates as well as a bipartisan list of shills willing to take their money (of which they have quite a lot).

It’s an odd group which mixes Islam, Marxism and neocon-inflected DC Pay-to-Play values into a bizarre amalgam run by current cult leader Maryam Rajavi. Until just a few years ago the US State Department listed them as a terrorist organization. They appear to be mainly out of the terrorism business now. But they’re still a treacherous and dangerous group. With all this you’ll be glad to learn that one of their biggest backers is none other than Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton. And perhaps they’re most high profile and ardent supporter (and recipient of their cash) is Rudy Giuliani.

I just found out this afternoon that back in March of this year Rudy traveled to Tirana, Albania to headline a major MEK event. Here you can see him with Rajavi in a North Korea-like pose at the event in Tirana.

Maryam Rajavi (L) and Rudy Giuliani, attend celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20, 2018, there was a gathering of Iranians Resistance and supporters in Tirana, Albania. As part of this gathering, Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), members of the international community, such as former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and others spoke in support of Iranian freedom and regime change. (Photo by Siavosh Hosseini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Maryam Rajavi (L) and Rudy Giuliani, attend celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20, 2018, there was a gathering of Iranians Resistance and supporters in Tirana, Albania. As part of this gathering, Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), members of the international community, such as former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and others spoke in support of Iranian freedom and regime change. (Photo by Siavosh Hosseini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Needless to say, Rudy’s close ties to President Trump were played up aggressively.

Rudy Giuliani makes a speech during celebration of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20, 2018, there was a gathering of Iranians Resistance and supporters in Tirana, Albania. As part of this gathering, Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and others spoke in support of Iranian freedom and regime change. (Photo by Siavosh Hosseini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Here’s Rudy at the Tirana event leading a “regime change” chant after promising the group that John Bolton remains loyal to them and that “you need to be in charge in [Iran].” It’s nuts.

Did Rudy get paid for this speech, like he has in other cases? How much?